In Brazil, the Skull of a Massive Predator Dating Back 40 Million Years Before Dinosaurs Has Been Found

In Brazil, well-preserved fossils of a predator dating back over 265 million years have been discovered. This remarkable find consists of a skull, ribs, and bones of the forelimbs, all belonging to Pampaphoneus, one of the top predators that existed more than 40 million years before the appearance of dinosaurs, as reported by IFLScience.

Pampaphoneus belonged to a group of therapsids known as dinocephalians, terrestrial animals whose name originates from the Greek term for "terrifying head" due to their massive cranial features, characteristic of this group. While dinocephalian fossils have been documented in Asia and South Africa, their presence in South America remained relatively scarce.

"The discovery of a new Pampaphoneus skull after all these years is a significant event for expanding our knowledge of this creature," emphasized scientists.

Due to delays caused by the COVID pandemic, it took more than three years to clean and study the fossil. This new fossil represents only the second skull of Pampaphoneus found in South America. According to the team's estimates, this creature could have reached lengths of up to 3 meters and weighed around 400 kilograms. For comparison, the largest living big cats in the world, Siberian tigers, weigh approximately 300 kilograms.

The skull features sharp fangs, suggesting that its bite would have had enough force to crush bones. It is believed that Pampaphoneus occupied an ecological niche similar to that of large cats and was an experienced predator capable of hunting potential prey, such as small dicynodonts and the giant amphibian Koolasuchus.

"This creature must have been a terrifying sight and likely struck fear into anything that crossed its path. Its discovery is key to understanding the structure of terrestrial ecosystems leading up to the largest mass extinction of all time. It's a remarkable find that underscores the global importance of Brazil's fossil record," noted the researchers.

The discovery of Pampaphoneus fossils, along with potential prey species, suggests that the Pampas region holds the potential for future intriguing paleontological discoveries.

As a reminder, Canadian paleontologists analyzed data from 32 complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons and concluded that these massive dinosaurs could have been even larger and heavier than previously believed, weighing up to 15 tons.